Breaking Up Is Never Easy
by LMTran
Summary: Lily Evans seems perfect. Maybe even as perfect as her friends seem. Or even as perfect as the popular Marauders seem. But sometimes, things aren't what they seem, and the people you thought were perfect are screaming for you to really see them.
1. Prologue

Disclaimer: All legal rights to the Harry Potter series and characters and terms belong to J.K. Rowling.

**Breaking Up Is Never Easy**

"Why do we have to keep going _over_ this?" said John irritably. He ran a hand through his hair and loosened the tie on his neck as if it were a noose trying to strangle him. He looked weary.

"We wouldn't if you weren't such a git. Why can't you come in at a decent hour? What are you _doing? _I know it's not_ work_."

"You're absolutely maddening, Vi. I come home from a hard day, and I don't expect to get assaulted by my own _wife,_" he said. He had tried throughout the conversation thus far to keep his voice at a calm level, but as time wore on, so did his temperament.

"You don't even give me any of this money that you make from your so-call _work_. I know what you're doing--" Violet Evans was continuing on maliciously, seeming to spit out venom as she spoke.

"It's all untrue! You're absolutely mad! I can't--I won't--I can't_ handle_ living under this...this _goddamn scrutiny _all the time!" His voice cracked as he reached a pitch.

There was a tense silence.

And then in a low voice, "You're really not the man I married."

John let out an incredulous bark of laughter, more out of frustration than anything. "_I've _changed, have I Vi? Just look at yourself in the mirror for once, _really _ look at yourself. Would you honestly be able to tell me you're the same open-minded and carefree girl that _I _married? Look at your decisions! I mean, I'm surprised you even let me send Lily to that school--"

"Oh, you'll never let that drop, will you? How the hell was I supposed to know that a school of bloody _Magic _ existed?"

John held up a hand and closed his eyes. "We've already talked about this. In fact, I think we've talked about everything at least twenty times over."

"I can't keep talking, John."

"Well, neither can I."

----------

And that was it. The divorce papers were signed by the end of the summer. Petunia, having just turned nineteen, was already a year into the treacherous waters of legal adulthood. After her parents' divorce, she decided to move out home and live with her boyfriend's parents at their house in suburbia. Lily, on the other hand, was still a child by wizarding _and _muggle law, and was therefore caught in the crossfire. It was not a good time to be home.

She was to live with her mother, to whom her father had given the house. She spent most of the summer in her room reading or doing her summer homework, sometimes wishing she could be anywhere else that wasn't quite as dull. Lily Evans longed for Hogwarts.

Author's Note: This is just the prologue. It's not that interesting yet, and to be honest, I don't know what "interesting" is. I writing this more for myself than for anyone else, and I hope other people will be able to relate. The first chapter will probably be uploaded really soon. Thanks for reading, guys.


	2. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I am disclaiming legal rights, yo.

**Breaking Up Is Never Easy**

"If you hadn't been careless, as usual, then perhaps Uncle Rhys's portrait would still be intact. You're_ lucky_, boy, that term starts today," said a woman with a posh accent. Her sleek, impossibly straight black hair was tied in a rather stylish looking low ponytail, something that did not usually look very stylish when on the wrong person. She had thin lips, inked in a rich red color, and tastefully brushed rogue on her cheekbones.

"It wasn't_ my_ fault, mum. Blame _darling _Regulus for once in your bloody life," Sirius Black muttered mutinously. He was slouching and had his arms folded, contrasting greatly with his mother who was sitting with a strict back and properly folded hands and feet. However, Sirius shared the same haughty, attractive features of his mother; his hair was gleaming black, and was constantly falling over his eyes in a graceful swoop. They both seemed a bit withdrawn, and both their eyes were the same intense, dark, saturated blue color.

"Keep _me _out of this," said Regulus. He, like his mother and and brother, shared the same eyes, hair, and overall good looks.

"_What_ did you call me, Sirius?" his mother said menacingly.

"I said, _darling mother_, 'Why, of course it was my fault. It's _always_ my fault,'" said Sirius. He had a mocking undertone to it all, and made sure he put emphasis on "mother," in a false display of respect.

"Well, Sirius. You'll be paying for the damages on Uncle Rhys's portrait. I'll be withdrawing ninety galleons from your account to cover the costs," she said crisply. Sirius shot a withering glare at his brother, who stared steadily out the window of the chauffeured ministry car they had been provided to escort them to the platform. His face remained an impassive mask.

-----

Her mother put the car in neutral outside the station and checked her makeup in the rearview mirror. She touched up her lipstick, and smacked her lips together to get the color even.

"Well, bye then, dear, be sure to write," Violet Evans said, pecking her daughter quickly on the cheek and smiling a bit too broadly to be genuine. "Oh, I'm so proud of you! Look at my little Lily, practically grown up! Be sure to keep your grades up. You'll want to get a good job since your father has taken all the money." She said it casually, as if the idea was so familiar to her that she could afford to throw the words around.

"Bye, Mum, see you at Christmas," said Lily, ignoring what she had said and trying to sound as normal as possible. The tone of her mother's voice made her seethe with anger whenever she mentioned dad, for reasons Lily couldn't definitively pinpoint. It just _did_. She clambered out the car, and dragged her trunk out of the boot. Her mother waved briefly and then drove away. Lily felt momentarily empty, an unpleasant heavy feeling in the pit of her stomach, as she watched her mother drive away. But it soon left her. She dragged her trunk to a trolley and wheeled into the station, going through the usual routine of walking through the barrier.

The summer had been rather boring, and Lily was glad for it to be over. She never liked her summers much. Before Petunia had moved out, they had always gotten into rows, usually over the most ridiculous things. In fact, Lily never really knew _what_ the arguments were about by the end of it. Her parents were always at each others necks as well; the divorce hadn't actually been a surprise to her. She'd been anticipating its occurrence for years. She never shared any of this with her friends. They all lived far away from each other, and when they did see Lily and her mother out or shopping in Diagon Alley, her mother always put on such a good show that no one suspected anything amiss at all.

What was Lily to say? "Had a nice holiday? Really? That's nice. Me? Oh, nothing much, my parents just got divorced." Yes, that would be awkward, not to mention out of the blue. It wasn't as if Lily wasn't close with her friends; on the contrary, they were inseparable. But the topic of her parents had always seemed off-limits in Lily's mind, and she had never really mentioned it. They already had this preconceived notion that her parents were picture-perfect...and really, what _was _wrong with Lily's parents? Nothing really. People got divorced all the time. It wasn't anything out of the ordinary. _And I refuse to act like a baby about it when other people have much worse problems to deal with_, thought Lily.

----

Marlene McKinnion stared at herself miserably in the mirror. _I look horrible_, she thought, putting on another coat of mascara on her eyelashes with the end of her wand. She teased the ends of her lengthy blonde hair with her hands, hoping to give it a bit more volume, and gave one last dazzling practice smile before leaving the girls' room.

She stood on her tiptoes and tried to skim the crowd, but cursed her height. She couldn't see above the heads of the taller boys and girls, and the station was so packed that it was hard to even move her head to search. _I knew I should've worn heels today..._she said miserably. Her thoughts were interrupted, however, when she heard a high-pitched voice screeching her name and was soon enveloped in a tight hug.

"Alice!" Marlene shrieked, hugging Alice as well and ginning. "How was your summer? God, you look gorgeous, what have you done to yourself!"

"Oh, hush, you know as well as I do that I look awful. I didn't even brush my hair this morning, I woke up so late. Fabian,_ that git_, forgot to set the alarm," Alice said. Indeed, Alice's soft, round face was flushed pink, and she looked a little winded, probably from all the rushed activity that morning. Fabian, her brother, appeared at her shoulder and smiled in greeting at Marlene. Like Alice, he had rosy splotches on his cheeks and his hair was mussed up, but it all seemed to make him look more adorable. "Ally, You've left mum with the luggage all by herself, you ungrateful daughter. Did you know I had to bring all of our stuff onto the train? That's right, all five million kilograms of rubbish you brought."

"I didn't bring that much! And it's certainly not _rubbish!_" Alice said.

----

"Brush your hair, James. I don't know why you insist keeping it so unkempt," said his mother. James nodded mutely in submission, but did not move to fix his hair. He was quite used to getting that particular order, but he never bothered to amend the problem. It wouldn't have worked to brush it anyway; it never did.

"And what is that awful outfit?" she demanded.

"It's muggle clothes, mum. We go through this every year...we've got to dress like muggles when we go to the platform."

"Oh, right. Well, why are you wearing that atrocious shirt? Put on the nice ones I buy you," she said as she twisted her hair into a demure bun and then fastened the clasp on the string of pearls she was going to wear. "And don't forget to tuck it in. You know it's very important how you look. And all those prominent people taking their children to the platform; how would _I _look if my son was dressed like a dog?"

James muttered something indescript as he was buttoning up a starchy crisp, white, button-up shirt and tucked it into the dressy-casual black slacks he was being forced to wear.

Katherine Potter turned around expectantly and nodded in approval upon seeing her son. "You look like a winner now. Perhaps if you keep this sort of appearance up, you'll get a nice job at the ministry. But that's only if you keep your grades up too," she said sternly. James squirmed uncomfortably at the thought of his OWLs. In truth, they were not bad at all. But he had received two _acceptable_ grades, which, in his mother's eyes, was _not_ acceptable. In fact, she was rather disappointed upon discovering that he had received the "mediocre" grade of _Exceeds Expectations _in three subjects, and_ only_ two O's.

"Oh _what_ is this nonsense about James working at the ministry, Katherine?" asked William Potter as he waltzed into the room while adjusting his expensive black velvet robes. "James is going to be a professional Quidditch player, aren't you, my boy?"

James did not respond, but William Potter had continued on anyway. "I think I've almost got the manager of the Wasps convinced you're the next Rowan Manning! Make sure you're top of your game this year, because I _know_ Yorke will show up at one of your matches. I don't actually know _when_ though, so you've got to just play the best all year--hear that? No screwing up!" he said, slapping James genially on the back. James tried to smile, but it came out as a grimace. Neither of his parents seemed to notice though, as his father was putting on his Green Welsh felt skin shoes and his mother was putting on her niffler fur scarf.

"Let's head off to the station then, or we'll be late. Bye dear,"Katherine said, pecking her husband on the cheek and strolling toward the door.

----

"I'm not retarded, mother," said Remus, irritated. His mother sighed and continued to comb his hair and straighten the wrinkles in his robes. He looked haggard and pallid as if he hadn't gotten much sleep lately.

"Drink your energizing potion, dear, you look a right state," she tutted. Remus rolled his eyes, but took the potion anyway and downed the acidic tasting contents as quick as he could. He felt the familiar rush of life course through him, and, even though he was still pale and there were still dark bags underneath his eyes, he seemed to be more alive. The dullness in his eyes disappeared and brightened considerably. The tenseness he usually felt in his arms, back, and legs relaxed, and he let out a sigh of relief.

---

Peter looked miserable as he tried to keep up with his grandmother, who was walking so briskly that her legs looked a blur. "Not one bit of post back yet from any of the universities your applied for. What will become of you? Look at your OWLs! What your mother and father think of this? They were so brilliant, and _you_ Peter, you've got so much potential but you just don't try _hard _enough."

"I do too try hard enough!" he said indignantly.

"_Quit lying _Peter Pettiegrew! I want to see your grades up this year, perfect grades. Not one toe out of line! You make yourself look like a squib! Do you want to embarrass this family anymore than you have? Honestly, _what _ would your parents be saying..." Peter felt himself go pink with shame. What was wrong with him? Why was he such rubbish as magic? _I'm so stupid_, he thought. What _would _his parents say?

A/N: Okay, for those of you who are confused, I've started off the story with little sections on each of the characters so you get a little background on what their lives are like from context. All of the events occur on the same day, but at different times in the day, not necessarily in chronological order. Also, note: Peter is a main character in the story and will be included. Don't hate!


	3. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I do not own the characters or world of Harry Potter. Stop trying to sue me.

**Breaking Up Is Never Easy**

Alice sighed wistfully. "And _then _ he said--wait no, seriously, listen to this! Then he said _You should come to visit me sometimes at work_! I swear to God! And that whole time, he was giving me this really intense look and like. I dunno, he just looked real...like. As if--as if he was liking me too!" She completed the statement less than spectacularly, but the story was really not that spectacular to begin with. Alice often made mountains of molehills and Marlene and Lily found it easier to simply agree and share the enthusiasm.

Sometimes it was hard to pretend, though. "Oh. Wow. That's, er, really _great_," said Lily, trying to make up for the lack of immediate response.

Marlene seemed to snap to her senses and tried to nod solemnly, as if what they had been discussing was of utmost importance. "Right, it's a milestone in your relationship--er...well, whatever it is you two have."

"It _is _a relationship!" Alice said indignantly. At this, Marlene and Lily gave each other skeptical looks; sometimes Alice could be seriously deluded of the reality of the situation. Alice did tell them all the encounters she had with Remus Lupin which made her seem as if her and Remus often lived a sexually charged and tension-filled existence, but Marlene and Lily always got the impression that these "encounters" were insignificant passings in the halls or brief hello's in Diagon Alley that Alice romanticized dramatically.

"Er, right, because being in a relationship would require you actually _knowing_ Remus," said Lily dryly. Marlene secretly agreed, but she felt inclined to sympathize with Alice, at least a little, since she knew what it was like to pine after someone that didn't have a clue of what you were feeling. Though Marlene didn't entirely believe what Alice was telling them, she gave into her gushing girlie side and got involved in many "Boy Talks" with Alice on a regular basis.

"Wait, so where did you see Remus again?" asked Marlene.

"Oh, he worked at Florean Fortescue for the holiday and since my mum goes to the Magical Menagerie to get feed for the thestrals a lot, I was in Diagon Alley all the time!" said Alice.

"So, did you see him often, then?" Lily asked, looking more than a little doubtful.

"Well, er, he was really busy and I was really busy getting stuff, so no, I only saw him once after he said I could come," Alice said, slightly shamefaced.

"That's all right, there's always next summer. Plus this year is sure to be killer. I've got this whole battle plan to get Frank to stop being such a prat and finally move things along. I mean, it's great that he talks to me like a good friend and stuff, but he's always shying away from being more--oh, I dunno. Just trying to get him to act like he likes me more openly, you know?" Marlene said.

"What's this plan you've got? I hope it doesn't mean Alice and I have to help you tie him up and ravish him or something completely repulsive," said Lily. Both Alice and Marlene gave her exasperated looks. Sometimes, Lily could be completely unsympathetic towards the two of them, just because she had never really been as enamored with someone as much as they currently were with Frank and Remus.

"No, _this_ is the plan. Since Frank and I only have Arithmancy and Advanced Potions II together, I'm going to strategically sit next to him at the very beginning of the year, so that way we're forced to talk to each other! And then, you know how his mates always throw him a dorm party? I'm going to get chummy with Remus because he usually throws the party, and voila--I'll be invited to the party! _And,_ by then, Frank'll _want _me there too because I'll have sat next to him At least 4 times a week for two whole months! You don't have to tell me I'm a genius, because I already know," Marlene said flippantly.

"Wait! Since you're getting so chummy with Remus, you can ask him if I can come too, and then I can make my move!" Alice said, clearly only having heard the part about Remus Lupin. Nevertheless, Marlene and Alice shared an excited squeal while Lily tried to smile and be a good friend.

Marlene was sharp though, and could see that Lily was exhausted of the subject. "Don't worry, Lils, you just haven't experienced a real crush yet! You'll be squealing with us soon enough. You just don't understand," Marlene said bracingly. However, it did not comfort Lily in the least, and only made her feel a twinge of aggravation. Why didn't she understand? Why should she _have to _understand when it was Alice and Marlene being completely unreasonable. _They're making fools of themselves,_ thought Lily bitterly. Their feelings were completely at the mercy of these boys' actions because Marlene and Alice had surrendered their hearts to them. _I don't want to experience whatever they're squealing about. They're completely losing sight of what's good for them, _she thought again.

"I've got to go do rounds now. I'm supposed to meet with everyone else in the Prefects' Carriage, so I'll see you all in about an hour," Lily said, fastening her school robes while walking out.

----

"I won't do it," said Remus.

"Oh, you're such a spoilsport! Live a little, you uptight old bat!" said Sirius while punching him playfully in the shoulder.

"Ouch! You git, you've probably left a mark!" said Remus, while getting his revenge and trying to wrestle Sirius to the floor. He was losing rather badly though, as Sirius was much stronger than he was in addition to the fact that he was starting to feel a little lightheaded. "all right, you ruffian! Geroff me, already!"

"Does that mean you'll actually help us this year?" said James from the corner of the compartment. He was draped across the whole left seat and watching the scene in amusement, but preferring to stay out of the fight himself.

"_No_, I won't. I'm prefect. I've already said you three can do whatever you please without interference. Well, from _me_ anyway. I can't really speak for Evans," he said. James rolled his eyes and sighed.

"Evans will always interfere. It's her nature. She can't stand anyone breaking the rules. I swear, she's got some kind of control complex! She's just _got_ to always have everything under her supervision, or else," he said.

"Here we go: the 'Lily Evans is A Bitch' speech," muttered Sirius. Before James could get too deep into his tirade, the compartment door swung upon, and Peter stumbled in, his arms piled high with sweets from the food cart. He dropped them all onto a seat and wiped sweat from his forehead, as if the trip had been very wearing.

"The food cart lady was very rude. I went to get some cauldron cakes, and she said she was out! But I saw right there in the cart!" said Peter, very miffed about the whole ordeal.

"Of course she was pissed, Petey, you probably threw off her whole schedule. You know there's a sign or something on the cart that says, 'Please wait til' the cart arrives at your compartment,' or something like that," said Sirius. "I'd be pissed too. You'd better be careful of what you eat. I hear the last time a kid did that, she slipped bobotuber pus into their Pumpkin Pop." Peter glanced uneasily at all the sweets he had bought, and began sorting through it all. Sirius and James shared a surreptitious glance, and tried to hide their snickering.

Remus was not feeling very well, and didn't even notice the interaction. He felt sluggish and tired again, and his eyelids were heavy. His back was aching again, and he couldn't seem to relax his clenched jaw. _I can't fall asleep during the feast. It's the first day back...pull yourself together..._ he thought vaguely in his blurry mind. "I'm going to take a piss," he said, grabbing his bag and walking out to the bathroom before anyone could offer to come with him.

He went into the small, one-person, cramped lavatory, and set his bag on top of the closed toilet seat and leaned against lavatory door for support. His breathing was slow and labored, and his arm actually did hurt from Sirius's punch. He lifted up his sleeve and saw a fist-sized purple bruise beginning to form. Sirius hadn't punched him hard, but he always bruised very easily right after full moons. Remus shook his head as he looked in the mirror. He looked horrible again; his face had returned to a pallid, sickly shade and there were dark circles beneath his eyes. He felt and looked ill.

He opened his leather bag and took out two phials of potion. He drank the first as quickly as possible to get past the bitter flavor that left a burning trail in his throat. But the effects of it came immediately, and the changes were obvious. His face gained a peachy glow, the circles under his eyes lessened, his back relaxed, and he felt energized. He could easily smile and wasn't tense and uneasy as he naturally was before. He drank the second one, and the bags under his eyes and the bruise on his arm disappeared entirely.

By the time he got back to the compartment, Peter had sprouted pus-filled boils all over his left arm while Sirius was looking over it with his wand drawn. "Not to worry, Petey, I think I know a spell to get rid of this!" Sirius turned to see Remus return and, answering the questioning look on his face, he said, "Pete here spilled some Pumpkin Pop on his arm. We think the food cart woman put Bobotuber Pus in." Sirius had an conspicuous smirk on hs face, and Remus's suspicions were confirmed when Sirius gave a furtive wink. Remus was feeling better this time around, and felt better inclined to participate in the good-natured pranking that James and Sirius had pulled on Peter.

"You know, Sirius, I think the spell, _Couleurous Violette _should do the trick," Remus said.

"Oh, yeah, I think I've heard of that one," said James, nodding in an uncharacteristically solemn manner.

"But that doesn't make any sense--" said Peter.

"_Couleurous Violette!_" said Sirius gleefully while waving his wand. Peter's arm immediately turned a shocking purple, which clashed horribly with the sickly pale yellow of the oozing pus. Remus, James, and Sirius all burst into laughter and Peter managed to look a little amused as well as embarrassed. They were only joking, after all.

"Remus!" said Lily as she slid open the door. "We were all waiting for you in the Prefects' Carriage, and you've delayed the entire meeting by at least twenty minutes! I thought you were sick or something, but you're just in here fooling around with your idiot friends." Remus seemed to sober up and shuffled his feet a little guiltily. He'd been so air-headed that morning, he completely forgot about the meeting and his rounds.

"Well--I mean...I _was _sick, but I was just so--well, I suppose I forgot," he mumbled.

"Yes, I suppose you did," said Lily, rolling her eyes. She wasn't really mad, but she couldn't help but feel annoyed that he had been prevented from his duties, once again, by his irresponsible (not to mention arrogant, obnoxious, lazy...) friends.

"He was _sick, _Evans, give it a rest. You'd make a dying man leave St. Mungo's if he had a bloody meeting to go to," snapped James.

"Yes, _Potter, _he _was _sick. As in, he's _not sick_ now, which is clearly evident from the way you four are all wasting energy doing useless pranks on each other,_ as always_," she retorted. "Unlike you, some of us have responsibility to be going on with. But you wouldn't know anything about _that_ because you've been coddled your whole rich life!" Lily didn't know how Potter always managed to get her so angry, and she sometimes ended up saying things they weren't even fighting about in the first place. But she was right anyway. Potter _was_ rich, popular, and most importantly...He's_ got both his parents_, Lily thought almost jealously. She gave him one last contemptuous glance and stormed out before he could say back anything nasty, and slammed the door behind her.

"I am not coddled!" yelled James to the air. Sirius shook his head and rolled his eyes. "Give it up, mate."

Remus sighed and dragged himself up. It had been fun, but he really did have duties as a prefect and felt guilty for playing around. "I guess I should go now. I'll see you guys soon."

"Would someone change my arm back to normal?" said Peter miserably. James brooded and seethed in the corner as he always did when Lily Evans got the last word in.

"Looks like you and I are the only fun ones today, Wormtail," said Sirius, moving to sit next to Peter since James was too angry to be social. "Gross! You got pus on me, you moron! Agh!"

"Sorry, Sirius, but I don't know how to get rid of it!" Sirius rolled his eyes and waved his wand almost lazily so that the swelling and boils in his left arm began to shrink, and the purple splotches in his skin began to drain off to reveal chubby, pink flesh. "I thought you were a wizard," Sirius said. "It was _really _bobotuber pus, you know. Just an imitation of it from Zonko's." Peter felt his cheeks flush and he shrugged, ashamed.

"I was never any good charms..."

"Or potions, defense against the dark arts, arithmancy, divination, history of magic...mate, I'd say you're failing!"

"Ha-ha, very funny. I actually managed to scrape up four OWLs. Gran said it was better than she thought I'd do when we got the results this summer," Peter said, feeling he needed to defend his abysmal magic skills.

"_Four _OWLs? _FOUR?" _Sirius said incredulously. "Blimey, Pete, did you fall asleep during all your exams or something?" Peter shifted uncomfortably in his chair.

"I thought I did okay...what did you get?" Peter asked. Sirius grimaced. He had done much better than Peter had and, despite how he sometimes treated him, he did not want to make Peter feel any worse than he was already feeling about himself.

"Well, My mum wasn't so pleased with them, but she's never pleased when she has to see my face, so..."

"Just tell me, Sirius," Peter said, resigned. Here were the consequences of being friends with people more talented, smarter, and more handsome than yourself. "Well, just five OWLs...or six...or more along the lines of eight," Sirius said.

Peter sighed. Sirius was brilliant. He had managed eight whole OWLs, and he hadn't studied at all. He hadn't even bothered to crack a book open, and he had managed eight OWLs. _I studied all that week, and I still did horrible, _Peter thought dully. _I'm really an idiot, aren't I._

"What is the _matter_ with Evans?" James broke out.

"Well, if that wasn't completely random and totally unrelated to the topic at hand, then I don't know _what _is anymore," Sirius commented casually. James ignored him of course.

"I think she thinks you're a rich, spoiled brat," Peter said. However, he quickly added, "Well, from all your arguments, of course. Just making assumptions. Because I _don't_ think you're one. A rich spoiled brat, that is."

"Nah, you're right Peter. She does think Prongs has got it easy. Plus, she thinks you're a git and you're arrogant," Sirius said. He spoke lightly and conversationally to counter James's dark tone of barely-concealed anger. They had covered the topic so many times, he didn't even feign active interest.

James scowled. "Well, that's a _stupid_ reason to hate me. I'm not spoiled or rich or arrogant, or any of those things!" He looked at Sirius and Peter expectantly, waiting for confirmation. Sirius was looking at his nails and getting the dirt from underneath while Peter was caressing his recently healed arm. "Hey..._Hey._ That's when you agree with me, you prats!" Sirius quirked an eyebrow.

"Well. You _are_ rich," he said.

"But--_I'm not spoiled_!"

"Er...well, you don't exactly live a hard life," said Peter.

"You have a lot of comforts in life," said Sirius at the same moment. James looked at them both furiously, feeling a bit betrayed. Since when did they take Evans's side? "WHAT!" He could hardly believe his ears.

"Just admit it, James. The first step is getting over your denial," Sirius said. "You're totally whipped your parents. They give you everything, and you behave in return. I mean, you aren't _coddled_, per say--"

"This is absolutely ridiculous! I can't believe you actually _agree _with Evans! The both of you!" James was on his feet and shouting.

"You're overreacting, mate," said Peter. "Just sit down, we're not trying to be mean! Just honest! I swear we don't mean it in a nasty way!"

A very unattractive scowl marred his usually handsome face. "I'm going for walk," he said vitrolicly, leaving the compartment loudly.

"_What a scene,_" Sirius muttered.

_-----_

James stormed down the corridor, which was a feat in itself considering how crowded it was with students milling about between compartments and talking to friends they hadn't seen over the summer. "Move out the way!" he snarled at a few second years loitering in his path of destruction. He was feeling rather reckless. How could Sirius, _Sirius Black, _ his _best_ friend, say that he was whipped by his parents? He was wild! He broke the rules! He flaunted authority and charmed his way through life! He was a marauder! _Not at home you're not. You may be at school, but you're not a rascal at home,_ a nagging voice said, surfacing up through the righteous blur in his mind. _I don't care what anyone thinks! I don't care what my parents think! I do whatever the bloody hell I want,_ he thought back defiantly, trying to drown out the incessant, truthful voice that seemed to be growing louder.

He was storming so ruthlessly down the hall, he collided with another person. "Watch where you're going!" James lashed out, even though the collision had undoubtedly been his fault.

"Watch where _you're _going!"

James, not used to being spoken to like that by the majority of the Hogwarts population, looked up sharply. "_Snivellus_," he sneered. "Should have known I'd slip on the grease trail you leave behind."

"Well, your head is so inflated, I'm not surprised you can't see properly enough to walk."

James took a step forward and gave Snape the dirtiest look he could muster. He was feeling more vindictive than usual as he raised his wand threateningly. "Give me a reason, and _I will_."

"Well, the reasons I'd give you would make you want to hex yourself. You really _are _that despicable," Snape said. He was ready too, and had his wand out. "_Casse les corps!"_ Snape yelled at the same time James yelled "_Coupre!"_

There was not much room to maneuver in the hall, but James shifted and slashed his wand across the side of Snape's face and arm. Having moved, Snape's curse didn't not hit him where intended, and instead landed on his ribcage. James yelled out and clutched himself as Snape did something similar and tried to stem the flow of blood. By then, a crowd had formed and they were all quite shocked at the sort of spells being used.

"You bastard!" James screamed, sounding a bit agonized.

"What are you going to do, eh Potter?" Snape sounded tightlipped and short of breath, but still managing to sound contemptuous. "Going to sic your fanged _freak_ on me--" He was never able to finish his jibe as James launched himself at Snape. He had never felt so hateful towards another human being before. James, who had excellent reflexes toned by Quidditch, had a frail-looking Snape pinioned beneath him as he pummeled him with his fist. "You bleeding bastard!" He yelled, among other obscenities, some of them indistinguishable in his mix of angry language. He felt himself being dragged back by a pair of arms. James yanked himself out of its grasp, breathing raggedly and heavily. He looked wild and very unlike his usual jesting demeanor. He looked at who had dragged him off Snape's still form, and saw it was Frank Longbottom, one of his dorm mates.

"Look what you've done to him!" Lily Evans said. "This is a complete fiasco!"

"Shut it, Evans, I don't need to hear your voice right now," James said.

"I'm _not_ going to shut it! You've put another student unconscious! Just _look_ at him! _Look at him!_" Lily shrieked. "You're completely thoughtless!"

"JUST SHUT UP, ALREADY!"

Lily narrowed her eyes. She was not afraid of James Potter, and oh, she'd die before he got away with this. He may have gotten away with 90 of everything else he did, but he wasn't going to get away with _this._ He'd been out to kill a student! She didn't particularly like Severus Snape, but James had been massacring him. _And probably for no reason too, _she thought. "I'm telling the Head Girl, and once Dumbledore gets wind of this--"

"Fine, I don't care what you do, Evans," James said, trying to regain his cool, and stalking off back to his compartment. Lily sighed, look down at the bloody mess below her that was Severus Snape. Where was the Head Girl or Boy when they were actually needed?

Lily looked up to see a small crowd staring at Frank and her, who were hovering over Snape's body. "Go on, nothing to see, Get out of here before I give you all detentions! GET BACK TO YOUR COMPARTMENTS!" Lily snapped. Everyone recoiled and muttered mutinously as they retreated back to their friends. Lily let out an exasperated huff and kneeled down to better heal Snape's injuries. Frank kneeled down as well to help.

"You're not really going to report him, are you?"

"Of course I am! Do you see what he did? He's completely mad!" Lily exclaimed.

"I heard if he gets one more infraction this year, his mum is sending him to Beaubatons straight away for better manners and discipline," Frank said. "Just a rumor I heard. But from what I hear about his family, I wouldn't be surprised."

Despite Lily's better judgment, she asked, "What about his family?" Was his family dysfunctional, like hers? She suddenly felt a slight twinge of guilt for having accused him of being a rich, coddled brat in a perfect familial structure. She didn't really know, did she?

"Well, they're just really old fashioned rich purebloods. You know how it is. They're just _like that._ All about society and manners and that rubbish. James is a bit rowdy at school though, so I think they disapprove or something," said Frank. _Or maybe his family is exactly as I thought_, Lily thought wryly. However, she still felt a tiny bit badly about making a strike about his family. The one problem his family might have, though small in comparison to other family problems, marred her image of his picture-perfect family.

Still, it was no reason to beat people to a bloody pulp. After they finished healing his wounds (they weren't too serious or magical of injuries), they ennervated Snape. They were, of course, treated coldly, and he left without thanking them, but they would have been surprised if he had been grateful.

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A/N: I tried to make this chapter super long, since I tend to make my chapters short because I underestimate the length. But here it is! Hopefully it meets everyone's standards. Review if you please.


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